KANNUR: Sitaram Yechury has been re-elected as the CPM general secretary for the third consecutive term. The 23rd Party Congress of the party which concluded in Kannur on Sunday, also elected a 17- member Polit Buro and 85-member Central Committee. For the first time in its history, the PB will have Dalit representation through Ram Chandra Dome.
The new Polit Buro has three new faces. While senior Kerala leader and LDF convener A Vijayaraghvan made it to the top decision-making body from Kerala, others who were selected include All India Kissan Sabha president Ashok Dhawle and prominent leader from West Bengal Ram Chandra Dome. Though the name of senior Kerala leader AK Balan was doing the rounds, the party decided on Ram Chandra Dome.
"For the first time, the party has a Dalit joining the Polit Buro," said Sitaram Yechury.
Senior leaders S Ramachandran Pillai from Kerala, Biman Bose and Hannan Mollah from West Bengal were dropped from the Polit Buro as they crossed the upper age limit of 75 years. The three of them will be special invitees to the Central Committee.
The party also finalised the new Central committee of 85 members including 17 fresh faces. Of the total there are 15 women members. One slot was kept vacant. The CC has been trimmed from 95 in 2018 to 84 this time.
As expected ministers KN Balagopal, P Rajeeve made it to the central committee. This time around two women from the state got representation in the central committee. This include former MP CS Sujatha and Kerala Women's Commission chairperson P Sathidevi. Both of them are leaders of All India Democratic Women's Association. From Kerala, seniors P Karunakaran, Vaikom Viswan and MC Josephine were dropped from Central Committee.
AK Padmanabhan has been elected as Control Commission chairman.
Earlier in the day senior PB member Prakash Karat replied to the discussion on organisational report. Responding to criticisms from delegates, he admitted of shortcomings on the part of the central leadership.